Four people get Walk of Fame recognition in Carolina Beach

CAROLINA BEACH, NC (WWAY) — The second annual Walk of Fame ceremony was held Saturday afternoon in Carolina Beach.

After ten commemorative stones were placed around the lake last year, four more were added Saturday. The stones represent the names of individuals who made major contributions in the history and development of the town.

Chair of the Walk of Fame Sarah Efird says each of the recipients has ties to Carolina Beach and had an important part to the community’s history.

“We will start taking nominations again in September and then our committee comes together and works on them,” said Efird. “They have to meet the criteria and we pick which ones we are going to do and we work to make sure we have all their history.”

Efird says Alice McDonald Strickland, W.G. Fountain, Ralph Whitley, Wm J. “Bill” McDonald were all honored of their accomplishments or contributions.

Strickland was the Town Clerk from 1945-1952 and was the first female Town Manager in Carolina Beach and in the state from 1952-1954.  Fountain establish Fountain Apartments in 1935, established Royal Palm Hotel in 1936, founded Bank of Carolina Beach in 1949, and was the Town Alderman and Mayor 1939-1945. Whitley was a humanitarian and civic leader. He was on town council from 1975-1983 and supported medical center, rescue squad, library, parks and recreation, and environmental concerns. McDonald was journalist from 1967-1989 and promoted sports fishing and tourism in southeastern North Carolina and Carolina Beach. His article were published in all the local newspapers.

Four or five more people will be chosen for the award and the recipients will be honored with a granite stone.